Mooring device for boats



Aug. 26, 1969 A. BRUEHL 3,462,960

I MOORING DEVICE FOR BOATS Filed March 25, 1968 IN V EN TOR. A/v TON BRUE HZ.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,462,960 MOORHIG DEVICE FOR BOATS Anton Brnehl, Boca Raton, Fla, assignor to Emory L.

Groli' and Emory L. Grotr", J12, Bethesda, Md, as jointtenants Fiied Mar. 25, 1968, Ser. No. 715,828

Int. Cl. 1802b 3/22 US. Cl. 61-48 4 Claims ABSTRACT (BF THE DISCLOSURE A mooring device for boats wherein a flexible cable is looped about a tapered dock pile at one end while its upper end is spring tensioned to a bracket near the upper end of the pile.

While many forms of boat protecting devices have heretofore been used, nevertheless, current price surveys indicate that they are too expensive for average boat owners, particularly small craft of the 14-25 foot category.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an effective and practical arrangement of parts, comprising few parts, simple to install, and inexpensive to maintain, and well within the price range of the average boat owner.

A further object is to utilize the lower tapered end of a dock pile as the means for anchoring the looped end of a cable whose upper end is adjustably spring anchored to a bracket disposed radially of the pile.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the improved mooring device, showing a boat in contact therewith; and

FIGURE 2 is a height shortened pile in slightly larger elevation.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the pile 1 supporting a dock floor 2 is customarily tapered toward its lower end which is driven in the conventional manner into the river or canal bed.

The upper end portion of the pile is fitted with a bracket 3 preferably having side and bottom securing arms 4 and 5, respectively.

The outer end of arm 4 is provided with an opening 6 to receive a vertically disposed threaded bolt 7 having a nut 8 secured to its upper end and resting upon the upper surface of the arm 4. Means for turning the bolt relative to the nut is provided, such for example as a slot 7a at its upper end while the lower end is provided with means such as a lateral opening 7b for supporting the upper end of a coil spring S.

The eye 70 at the lower end of the spring receives the looped upper end of a cable C which is held firm by an annular band or clip 8.

The medial portion of the cable is covered by a rubber or similar sheath or sleeve 9 to present a soft external boat contacting surface, as will appear from FIGURE 1.

The lower end of the cable C is firmly looped as at 10 about the tapered pile 1 below the mean water level in the body of water. The looped end is firmly maintained by a band or clip 11 similar to the clip 8. Before the ice lower end of the cable is securely looped, it is preferable that a suitable hard rubber or like disc 12 is threaded thereon to space the lower portion of the cable from the pile 1 and assure resiliency in that portion of the sheath 9 likely to be encountered by the boat B. The primary function of the disc is, therefore, to space the lower portion of the cable C away from the piling to assure the full benefit of the resiliency of the adjustable spring S when the boat strikes the sheath 9. The disc could be disposed at various points on cable C or sheath 9 so long as it served its function as a spacer as previously pointed out.

It is a simple matter to form the loop 10 at low tide; equally simple to mount the spring S; and, also, to adjust the tension on the spring.

Thus, it will now be seen that changes in tide level, the wake of passing boats, or other disturbances created by wind or wind storms will not materially harm the boat because the resiliently supported cable will effectively absorb shock and abrasion. These adverse docking conditions are often manifested in inland canals, prevalent in Florida, or even the Intra-Coastal Water Way which invites not only many boats, but water skiers as well.

I claim:

1. A boat mooring unit including, in combination with a vertically disposed piling extending below the mean water level, a support arm extending radially from the upper portion of said piling, a flexible member having its upper end supported by said arm at a point spaced from said piling, said flexible member extending downwardly below the mean water level to the lower portion of said piling, said flexible member provided 'with a loop at its lower end encircling said piling, spring means exerting a constant upward axial tension on said flexible member to urge said loop to automatically anchor the lower end of said flexible member against upward displacement and thereby maintain said member under tension, and spacer means adjacent the lower portion of said flexible member above said loop constantly maintaining the lower portion of said member spaced radially from said piling.

2. A boat mooring unit according to claim 1, wherein said spacer means comprises a disc carried by said flexible member.

3. A boat mooring unit according to claim 1, wherein said spring means includes a coil spring connected at its lower end to said flexible member and having its upper end adjustably connected to said bracket.

4. A boat mooring unit according to claim 1, wherein the medial portion of the flexible member is covered with a shock and scuff sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 869,130 10/1907 -Bierie 114213 2,842,940 7/ 1958 Cappel 6 l-v-48 2,845,892 8/1958 Jorgenson 114230 3,122,120 2/1964 Jorgenson 114-230 3,237,587 3/1966 Ross 61-48 X JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

